The European Union has escalated its regulatory enforcement under the Digital Services Act (DSA), officially classifying Meta's WhatsApp Channels as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP). This designation, announced by the European Commission, imposes stringent legal obligations on how Meta manages content, transparency, and user risks specifically within its broadcast channels feature, which is used by celebrities, public figures, and news outlets. The status applies only to WhatsApp Channels, not private one-on-one chats.
The announcement came shortly after EU regulators launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) and its integrated AI service, Grok. The probe focuses on potential DSA violations related to the spread of sexually explicit deepfake images generated by Grok. This follows a €120 million fine levied against X in December 2025 for breaching DSA transparency rules, marking the first-ever fine under the act.
Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen stated the investigation aims to determine if X treated the rights of European citizens, "including those of women and children, as collateral damage." The Commission is scrutinizing whether X diligently assessed systemic risks and conducted proper risk assessments prior to deploying Grok's functionalities.
The VLOP designation for WhatsApp was triggered because its channels averaged 46.8 million monthly users in the latter half of 2024, crossing the legal threshold. Platforms under this label must now publish user statistics every six months and assess how their services spread illegal or harmful content. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to 6% of a company's annual global revenue.
The moves have sparked significant political tension. The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, has accused the EU of unfairly targeting American companies and using internet rules as a censorship tool, previously blocking travel for EU official Thierry Breton. Within the EU, lawmakers like Germany's Alexandra Geese argue for the creation of an independent digital enforcement agency to ensure coherent application of the DSA and shield it from political interference, a proposal supported by 13 member states but opposed by Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland.
